Tick Tock
by theysayimagypsy
Summary: A one-shot based slightly on a prompt from tumblr - if Hook, Neal and August were fighting over Emma in Storybrooke. AU Captain Swan.


A/N - Hello, lovelies! Here's a little one-shot of some Captain Swan. I saw a few posts on this on tumblr and thought I'd give it a shot. It's a bit more fun that IABT, my other Captain Swan fic. Anyway, mine kind of expands the original prompt.

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Emma hadn't meant to save Hook from the giant. There was something she recognized in him and connected to. She sure as hell hadn't meant to kiss him the way she did before they embarked back down the beanstalk to Snow, Mulan and Aurora. It just sort of happened. Originally it was going to be a friendly, thanks-for-not-abandoning-me kiss. But then it turned very quickly into an I-want-you-forever kiss.

After that, she had begun to open up to him. Told him how she had her heart broken by Neal eleven years ago. How she had found out that someone had stolen money from her. And he was there for her. He didn't betray her like she had been anticipating him to do. Everyone else had abandoned her or betrayed her in some shape or form. Most surprisingly, she found herself trusting him. It was a slow transition, but he persisted.

Hook wanted to live with Emma. She smiled kindly at him and told him, "No." She wasn't quite ready for that. "Well, I will see you every single day whether you want to or not. And one of these days, you're going to change your mind, pet," he had told her, kissing her softly before checking into Granny's.

Two weeks after their return and Emma was still investigating the Billy case.

Emma sighed and glanced for what seemed to be the millionth time at the evidence board in the Sheriff's station which pertained the evidence for the Spencer case. She knew for sure he had set it up to make Billy's death look like Ruby had murdered him as the wolf.

She scribbled "motive - exposing David Nolan?" onto the whiteboard hastily and capped the pen. She glanced at her watch. 4:30. Just half an hour longer before she could turn in for the day. It was strange that Hook hadn't shown up. Right on cue - "Hey, love!" shouted the Irish voice she knew anywhere.

"Hey," replied Emma, tossing the felt pen to her desk as Hook walked in.

"How goes the case on Spencer, darling?" asked Hook.

"Not," sighed Emma, slumping down into her chair. She ran a hand through her hair.

"I watched your Peter Pan movie today," said Hook, making conversation. He played with her blonde curls.

"And?" asked Emma, sorry she had missed Hook's reaction.

"It was a valiant effort but a dreadful outcome. I have never been more insulted in my life," said Hook. This made Emma smile.

"Sorry to disappoint," she said, smiling.

"I must say, the bed that you have me in currently at Granny's - while it is quaint - is dreadfully uncomfortable," said Hook.

"I know. I spent a few nights in that same bed," said Emma. Hook raised an eyebrow.

"Are you suggesting that your presence will make it more comfortable, Miss Swan?" asked Hook.

Emma was about to reply when she heard tires squealing right outside the station.

"Now what?" she just wanted to go home and - "Want a drink, darling?" asked Hook, as if he was reading her mind, "you look stressed, my dear." He sat up on the desk, close to Emma. Their faces inches apart. Emma sighed, really wanting to continue this.

"More than anything, but right now," she said, getting up from her chair, moving away from Hook, "I have to see what's going on." With Hook right on her feet, she walked outside. By the clock tower, two familiar people were yelling.

It was August and Neal.

"YOU STOLE THE MONEY FOR HER!" shouted Neal.

"DO YOU THINK I CARE? SHE GOT THE JOB DONE!" replied August. He had shifted back from wooden puppet to real man in Emma's absence. "Who are those lads?" asked Hook.

"My ex-boyfriend and . . . I don't even know what August is," said Emma.

"AHA!So it's them that I need to get through to get to you," said Hook.

"What - no - Hook - don't!" But it was no use. No one was listening to them.

"YOU TWO!" shouted Hook, clearly relishing what was about to unfold.

Neal and August turned.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Neal.

"I'm Emma's new suitor. I love her and I want to be with her, but you two are impinging on my progress," said Hook. Emma was shocked. "I'm a bloody pirate, and I've treated her like royalty in comparison to you two sewer rats," he continued.

Both Neal and August started yelling at him at the same time.

August: "I did it because it was best for her!"

Neal: "I couldn't say no!"

More of the same, "I'm who's best for her."

"Gentlemen!" roared Hook, getting annoyed, shutting them up. "Do I have to repeat myself? I've been a pirate for three hundred years, and never in my entire three hundred years have I ever had a woman quite like Emma. You are FOOLS to have done what you did to her. YOU abandoned her, gave her trust issues! YOU stole what she could have had - a future - away from her when you had her arrested. Did either of you stay by her? No. Who has stayed by her, given her a future and never let her down. And I'M the supposed bloody criminal. The one people are supposed to fear. But no. When you compare me to a thief that double crosses her and leads her on and a liar and swindler, I'm a bloody lamb aren't I? And people fear ME? They should fear you. Tick tock gentlemen, TICK TOCK. Your time's up. Mine has just started."

"I loved her! I was there for her!" said Neal.

"But it was my duty!" said August.

"And how many times were those just words and not actions? Empty promises? And you, August, you left her when she was a baby. A BABY! No wonder she doesn't like you," sneered Hook, making it perfectly clear that he was bored of these two men.

"It's not like I had a choice in the matter, did I?" roared Neal. August was just silent.

"You always have a choice. A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets."

"OKAY ENOUGH!" shouted Emma, completely fed up. People had stopped in their tracks, staring. Emma was too furious with Neal and August to be embarrassed.

All three of them stopped and stared before starting to yell at each other again. Hook just walked over to Emma, not saying a word and captured her mouth with his. _That _shut them up.

When they broke for air, Hook gave both of the men fighting over her a smug smirk.

"OK. I'm not gonna arrest you or anything like that. But both of you, get the hell out of here," said Emma, removing her hands from behind Hook's neck, moving towards August and Neal.

"But what about -?" Neal started but didn't finish when Emma gave them both a death glare.

"You too, August," snapped Emma. "I don't want to see either of you ever again."

Both men, dejectedly, got into their cars and, after giving each other and Hook dirty looks (Hook just smirked at them gleefully)

"And what about me, darling?" asked Hook, wrapping his arms around Emma's waist again.

"Hmm. I think I'm going to take you up on that offer," replied Emma, kissing Hook on the cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Which one? The bed one or the drink?" asked Hook.

"Both," smiled Emma, closing the gap between them.

It was about bloody time indeed.


End file.
